— Ambassador Jiang Zaidong shares studying tips, experiences with students of NUML University
ISLAMABAD: Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong on Wednesday said that China, Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), as an important landmark project in the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, has brought a total of US $25.4 billion in direct investment, 236000 jobs, 510km of highways, more than 8000 megawatts of electricity and 886km of core transmission network to Pakistan.
The Ambassador, while addressing the students during Chinese Speech Contest, also shared experiences of his childhood at NUML University during a visit to the varsity and gave them some useful tips and his thoughts about learning and studying.
He also expressed his happiness and said he was touched to see the students full of vigor and vitality.
“First, life in university is wonderful. Entering university means crossing the threshold of youth. It is the best time in a person’s life. You are energetic, active in thought, curious about the world, and full of hope for the future. As described in Chairman Mao’s poems, Young we were, schoolmates, at life’s full flowering; filled with student enthusiasm, boldly we cast all restraints aside,” he said.
Second, he added, life in university is hard. Chinese people often talk about “寒窗苦读”，which literally means studying hard at the cold window, actually means persevering in one’s studies despite hardships. Studying itself is hard, and the material conditions during this period are still very limited, so we always keep in mind that “hard-working is the boat to the endless sea of learning”.
In this regard, he said President Xi Jinping has set a shining example for us that “Diligence is the path to the mountain of knowledge”.
“President Xi Jinping once worked as a farmer in rural areas when he was less than 16 years old, where he spent seven years in the countryside, where the life conditions were far more difficult than now, but his desire for knowledge remained consistent. He worked during the day, read books during labor breaks, and studied hard under the kerosene lamp until late at night”.
“Third, the struggle during college time is happy. There has always been an ancient saying in China that hardships and hardships will bring success to you. How can you get the fragrance of plum blossoms without bitter coldness? As President Xi Jinping pointed out, happiness is the result of struggle. Struggle itself is a kind of happiness. Struggle is the brightest background of youth. He also taught our young people to cherish time, live up to their time, learn eagerly, and improve constantly,” he added.
“Although I have long left the campus and am no longer young, I still want to encourage everyone and wish all of you to enjoy your college time, study hard and improve yourself, and create a happy life. Under the visionary leadership of President Xi Jinping, the Chinese people have worked hard together to write a new chapter in the miracle of achieving economic development and long-term social stability, opening up a new pattern of benefiting the world and promoting building a community with a shared future for mankind. We have maintained the world’s second largest economy, and our average contribution to world economic growth has exceeded 30% for the past 10 consecutive years; we have made victory in poverty alleviation, lifting nearly 100 million rural poor people out of poverty, and our contribution to world poverty alleviation has exceeded 70%; We promote the joint construction of the “Belt and Road” and have achieved more than 3,000 cooperation projects, driving nearly one trillion US dollars in investment,” he added.
Currently, he said we are thoroughly implementing the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, further deepening reforms and comprehensively promoting Chinese modernization. We are willing to provide the world with new opportunities of Chinese modernization and benefit our iron brother Pakistan first, working together to create a bright future for common prosperity and people’s well-being.
“As for how to view Pakistan’s development, although I have not been here for a long time and maybe my understanding is not comprehensive, yet I have deeply felt that Pakistan has many development advantages. Due to time limit, I cannot speak in details. Just give three examples: First, Pakistan has a superior geographical location and is known as the “pivot of Asia”; secondly, Pakistan has a huge demographic dividend, with people under the age of 30 accounting for more than 60%; thirdly, Pakistan is rich in natural resources, ranking fifth in cotton production, sixth in mango production and seventh in wheat production in the world,” he said.
In addition, he said, Pakistan ranks first in pink salt reserve and second in coal reserve in the globe. Especially when confronting complex and severe exterior situations, Pakistani new government has led the people to unite and work hard to achieve economic stabilization and improvement.
He said the GDP has turned from negative to positive, and it is expected that the new growth will be achieved in the new fiscal year. The inflation rate has been reduced to the lowest level since the past five years and foreign exchange reserve has achieved the highest since the past two years. The foreign exports have increased by 14% in the first two months of the new fiscal year. We are sincerely glad for our Pakistani brothers and sisters and are full of confidence with your country’s development prospects.
“As a Chinese proverb goes, if big rivers are full of water, then small rivers will also be full, meaning that an individual’s future is closely linked to the country’s development. Just now, I wished you all to study hard and live a happy life. I also hope that you can step out of the ‘small world’, embrace the ‘big world’, and integrate your personal dreams into the cause of national development. As the founder of Pakistan Mohammad Ali Jinnah once said, only through united efforts can our dreams come true.
“China and Pakistan are both developing countries. In the process of pursuing national prosperity and people’s happiness, there will be ups and downs. We need to share weal and woe and move forward bravely. Youths are the new force in national rejuvenation, as President Xi Jinping gave remarks to Chinese youth in the new era that the young people should enhance their sense of urgency in learning, serve the people with talents and knowledge, and contribute to the country with innovation and creation. Today, we have both Chinese students Pakistani students present here, I sincerely wish that the people of China and Pakistan will fulfill their dreams and all of you will be able to pursue your dreams and realize them,” he said.
“I fully agree with your evaluation of China-Pakistan friendship. To sum up, China and Pakistan are All-Weather Strategic Partners and iron-clad friends. The China-Pakistan friendship has stood the test of the times and is as solid and stable as Mount Tai. It is mainly reflected in the following aspects:
“First, the political foundation of China-Pakistan relations is extremely strong. In particular, President Xi Jinping and the leaders of Pakistan have taken the helm and led the development of bilateral relations, set the positioning of China-Pakistan All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership, and carried forward the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor from “1+4″ basic layout to a new stage of building an ‘upgraded version’. Since the beginning of this year, President Xi Jinping has maintained close communication with President Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz and reached important consensus. We are willing to work with Pakistan to better implement the consensus, and speed up the building of a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era”.
Second, he said, the economic foundation of China-Pakistan relations is very solid. In particular, CPEC, as an important landmark project in the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, has brought a total of US $25.4 billion in direct investment, 236000 jobs, 510km of highways, more than 8000 megawatts of electricity and 886km of core transmission network. We are willing to work with Pakistan to focus on building an “upgraded version” of CPEC, further consolidate, expand and deepen practical cooperation in various fields, continuously improve the all-weather strategic cooperation level between China and Pakistan, and better help Pakistan develop its economy and improve people’s livelihood.
Third, Ambassador Jiang Zaidong said, the mass foundation of the China-Pakistan relations is particularly solid, according to what I have heard and seen after I came to Pakistan. There are builders who have worked hard for the early implementation of the CPEC project, tens of thousands of entrepreneurs who have returned from studying in China, and also friendly envoys like all of you here who learn Chinese, understand China, and carry forward China-Pakistan friendship. It is you who have made the tree of China-Pakistan friendship deeply rooted and flourish. We are willing to work with Pakistan to further enhance people’s livelihood, strengthen people-to-people exchanges, continue the special friendship between the two countries, and consolidate the foundation of bilateral cooperation.
“In international and regional affairs, China and Pakistan have always maintained close coordination and cooperation to effectively safeguard international fairness and justice and the common interests of developing countries. For example, both countries are members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the ‘Global South’. We are ready to strengthen unity and cooperation with Pakistan, usher in a new era of joint self-reliance in the ‘Global South’, provide the ‘Southern answer’ to respond to the unprecedented changes in a century, calling for an equal and orderly multi-polar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization,” he said.
Especially within the framework of the SCO, he said, China is now the rotating chairman. Pakistan has just successfully hosted meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of the SCO Member States. Premier Li Qiang personally led a delegation to attend the meeting and officially visited Pakistan. It reflects China’s firm support for Pakistan and also highlights the huge potential for both parties to strengthen cooperation.
“As we all know, in July this year, President Xi Jinping proposed at the SCO Astana Summit to build a common home of unity and mutual trust, peace and tranquility, prosperity and development, good neighborliness and friendship, fairness and justice. All member states have determined the Year 2025 as the “Shanghai Cooperation Organization Year of Sustainable Development”.
He said focusing on this theme, we will carry out a series of cooperation and actions in the eight key areas of the global development initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping, including poverty reduction, food security, public health, development financing, climate change, green development, industrialization, digital economy, and connectivity. A series of cooperation and actions will make positive contributions to building the SCO as a reliable strategic support for member states to achieve common prosperity and revitalization.
He said the above-mentioned cooperation areas and other series of actions are highly consistent with Pakistan’s development ideas and needs. We are ready to work closely with Pakistan to carry forward the “Shanghai Spirit” and promote the development of the SCO into a constructive force in maintaining regional and global peace, stability and prosperity.
“President Xi Jinping pointed out that talent is our primary resource and education is the foundation for building a great country and rejuvenating the nation. As an iron-clad friend of Pakistan, while providing talents for promoting China’s modernization, we are also willing to train talents for Pakistan through educational cooperation. In this regard, we have achieved many positive results. For example, the total number of Pakistani studying in China and receiving Chinese scholarships account for top three,” he said.
Moreover, he said, China and Pakistan have jointly built a number of Confucius Institutes, of which the Confucius Institute at NUML University is the first. For example, more than 20,000 people are registered to study Chinese in Pakistan, and many universities in China have opened Urdu major. Especially with the joint construction of the “Belt and Road” and CPEC, the two sides established the CPEC Consortium of Universities of 130 members. China has also assisted Pakistan in upgrading and renovating 50 vocational and technical training centers and providing teaching facilities and equipment for them.
“I would like to emphasize that youth are the future of the country and the backbone of China-Pakistan friendly cooperation. In the process of promoting education cooperation between the two countries, we are willing to give more preference to youth exchanges. As we all know, in a letter to all Pakistani students in the University of Science and Technology Beijing , President Xi Jinping said that China would continue to provide all kinds of assistance to foreign students in China and welcome outstanding young people from all over the world to study in China, and hope that they could communicate more with Chinese youth, and work together to strengthen people-to-people ties and to build a community with a shared future for mankind”.
“We will continue to implement these instructions, actively promote exchanges between Chinese and Pakistani higher education institutions, provide convenience for more Pakistani young people to study in China, provide resources such as the Chinese Ambassador Scholarship. We will speed up the implementation of the project for 1,000 Pakistani students to study modern agricultural technology in China, strive to create better conditions for their growth and development, and cultivate more envoys for the cause of China-Pakistan friendship,” he concluded.
